Cultivation Starts with Rejuvenation

Chapter 41: Chapter 7: First Glimpse of the Immortal Realm

”Flame Mountain Forbidden Land?” Li Ji’an paused his steps.

Chen Zhaohu grinned: ”Oh, I forgot, you surely don’t call it that from where you’re from. In our cultivation realm of the Celestial Cyan Domain, there are a total of three Desolate Lands abandoned by the heavens. The first is the Flame Mountain Forbidden Land to the east. According to records, an area with a radius of five thousand miles is tightly sealed by fiery mountains, blazes scorching the skies and boiling the seas. It’s said that even a Golden Core True Man was accidentally burned to ashes, dead and soul extinguished, with not a trace of heaven and earth spiritual qi inside.”

”Interesting, and there are two more such places?” Li Ji’an nodded and casually asked further.

”The other one is the Sandstorm Forbidden Land to the southwest. It’s even more hopeless for those inside it, with yellow sand stretching for thirty thousand miles and sandstorms rampant that can shred gods and demons. To my knowledge, no one has ever come out of it.”

”The last one is the Mysterious Forest Forbidden Land to the northwest, with ghostly trees standing tall and fog all over. It’s speculated that even a True Monarch’s primordial spirit could get trapped in an illusion realm and be turned into nourishment by those deceitful trees.”

Li Ji’an frowned slightly: ”Since these are such Desolate Lands... how can anyone come out?”

”Haha, the great Dao gives birth to fifty, the laws of heaven remove one, leaving a thread of life in all things. The three Desolate Lands are no exception. How do you think you managed to cross the Flame Mountain that can incinerate a Golden Core True Man? That’s what I call having great fortune; you are truly people of great fortune.” Chen Zhaohu looked at Li Ji’an with anticipation once more.

”Brother! Can’t you stop believing in those vague sayings? What great fortune? I think you just had a stroke of luck. Don’t you occasionally step on dog poop? We saw this Purple Gold Mink first; logically, we should share half, but no, you just gave it away, and they didn’t even appreciate it...” Chen Zhaohu’s younger brother was very dissatisfied with this kind of notion.

Li Ji’an pondered for a moment.

He didn’t quite agree with Chen Zhaohu’s talk of fortune.

The Guiding Immortal Master to the Immortal Dynasty can travel safely every ten years; can that be explained by great fortune?

It must be that they accidentally discovered some pattern or a weak point in a sandstorm.

After a moment of silence, Li Ji’an still bid farewell to them and led the five to cautiously avoid the area.

”Brother Li, that man’s qi and blood were very strong; he’s likely cultivating the Qi and Blood Technique, right?” Zhao Shuyao showed a look of confusion after the figure was out of sight.

”Indeed, if judged by martial arts cultivation, he surpasses me.” Li Ji’an nodded.

”Since there are people cultivating Qi and Blood Body Forging in this realm, why does that beastly family travel vast distances to recruit us?” Zhao Shuyao asked the question in her heart.

Li Ji’an remained silent for a moment: ”Perhaps they think we are too naive.”

Zhao Shuyao’s question suddenly made Li Ji’an feel much more relaxed.

The fact that they would rather travel far away than capture blood slaves here suggests one thing: such actions here would have consequences, and these consequences are heavier than traveling vast distances to the Immortal Dynasty, or even braving the risks of a sandstorm.

He judged that this cultivation realm probably wouldn’t be very chaotic and that there are some kind of positive running rules.

”Brother Li, are we going to that gathering place?”

”Yes!”

Li Ji’an’s judgment was based on two points: First, the strength of Chen Zhaohu’s group matches his, yet they claim to be very famous in the gathering place, which indirectly hints at the level of strength there.

Second, it was because he determined there were rules in this place.

That night, the five arrived near the human gathering area twenty miles north.

Under the cover of darkness, Li Ji’an stood on a small hill, observing the situation in the gathering place.

”Is this the gathering place?”

”Even the Imperial City isn’t this large, is it?”

”Look, someone there is carrying a wild boar inside.”

...

The human gathering area that Chen Zhaohu mentioned was expected to be no more than a few tents, a few thatched huts, maybe the size of a mountain village.

As it turned out... gazing at the area larger than even the Imperial City of the Immortal Dynasty, even Li Ji’an was a little surprised.

Moreover, the buildings inside weren’t shabby; most were made of earth, flat and sturdy, with even quite a few stone houses, quite impressive.

The most surprising was that many houses looked almost identical.

As night deepened, people kept returning; some carried prey, some brought medicinal herbs, some carried food...

By chance, they were startled by five people hiding behind an earth mound when two people came from behind and bumped into them, having nowhere else to hide.

After observing all night and seeing the endless stream of people busy with their livelihoods the next day, the five entered the gathering place.

”Hey, young lad, you’re in luck. A Tier One Purple Gold Mink... gasp, a Six-Whiskered Purple-Gold Mink, at least mid-grade bloodline. What a shame; if it were alive, the Immortal Pavilion would fetch at least ten spirit stones for it.”

The gathering place had no city walls or guards. Li Ji’an and his four companions walked in openly; the people they met didn’t pay much attention to them, merely commented on the Purple Gold Mink they were carrying.

”The Yan Family of Spirit Pearl Mountain is recruiting pioneering warriors to join the main force within the clan and enter the Desert of Fallen Dragon Ridge due to the large scope and lack of manpower. They promise not to treat you as cannon fodder. Successful pioneering can garner entry into the Yan Family, granting access to clan’s Dao field, clan’s cultivation techniques, and a daily salary of twenty taels of spiritual sand... Requirements: Strong and sturdy body, preference for body cultivators. Mid-stage Tier One body cultivators may discuss...”

”The Wu Family of Qingshui River is recruiting husbands-in-law, requires sensing spirit charm of at least five strands in any spirit root, below fifty years of age. If already at the Qi Cultivation Stage, the age can be relaxed to eighty. For those at the early period or above, conditions can be discussed, and if medium-grade spirit root offspring are born...”

”The United Marketplace is long-term recruiting Immortal Seedlings with no cap, requiring middle-grade spirit root or higher, under eighteen, orphans preferred.”

”Under Spirit Pill Pavilion of the Biyun Sect, the ninth round of medicine tester recruitment is now open. Requirements: Mortal who has not yet reached the Qi Cultivation Stage, limited slots, first come first served, don’t miss this heaven-sent opportunity...”

...

Walking along the main road for half an hour, a large plaza came into view.

The plaza was crowded with people, bustling with noise and excitement.

On the high platform in the center, someone shouted some recruiting information.

”...” Li Ji’an’s scalp tingled.

This was nothing like the novels he once read.

From the first glance at the mortal gathering area last night, he was astonished, and today, entering the place and seeing the carefree attitudes of mortals without qi and blood power or magical power aura, until now...

He suddenly realized!

Those standardized houses, the abundant harvest, those leisurely mortals...

A world that has cultivation, a world with so many miraculous immortal techniques, how could it be the same as an ancient feudal dynasty?

To build houses, hire an Immortal Master to use an earth element technique is merely a matter of expending some magical power and also trains their magic.

To grow crops, for cultivators who can grow spirit plants, growing food to feed mortals should be a piece of cake, right?

With the existence of Spirit Rain Technique, there would definitely not be drought or water shortage.

And the large number of mortals can provide value to cultivators too.

Value exchange, coexistence of immortals and mortals... This is good!